Adjustable door closer



Aug. 15, 967 G. P. PATRIQUIN ADJUSTABLE DOOR CLOSER 2 Sheets-Shee l Filed April 23, 1965 ug- 15, 1957 G. P. PATRIQUIN ADJUSTABLE DOOR CLOSER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 23, 1965 INVENTOR. @0265 l? PATR/Ql//A/ www@ nited States Patent C 3,335,452 ADIUSTABLE DOR CLOSER George 1P. Patriquin, Gardener, Mass., assigner to Independent Lock Company, Fitchburg, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Apr. 23, 1965, Ser. No. 450,408 7 Claims. (Cl. 16-52) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A door closing mechanism having improved closing speed regulating means including a multi-part piston head assembly wherein the closing speed is regulated by relatively rotating one part of the head assembly with respect to the other part by means of an Iadjustment mechanism extending through the closed end of the cylinder, the relatively rotatable parts of the piston head assembly being releasibly locked in any of a series of repeatable speed controlling positions by detent means interposed between the parts.

This invention relates to a door closer device, and more particularly to a door closer of the linear acting type having improved -means for adjusting the closing speed of the door without the necessity for removing the closer structure from its supporting brackets.

'Ihis invention further relates to a speed regulator assembly for a door closer device of the type described providing positive means for deploying the adjuster mechanism in a plurality of fixed speed adjustment positions.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved door closer assembly. A further object of the invention is to provide an improved hydraulic door closer assembly wherein the adjustment speed may be simply and positively varied by fixed increments, without the necessity for demounting or disassembling any portion of the door closer assembly.

To attain these objects and such further objects as may appear herein or be hereinafter pointed out, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, in which- FIGURE 1 is a vertical section through a door closer assembly in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a magnified fragmentary section similar to FIGURE l, showing the position of the parts during the opening cycle;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 showing the position of the parts in the closing cycle;

FIGURE 4 is a magnified section taken on the line 4 4 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 5 is a magnified section taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 6 is a magnified sectional View of the metering pin, showing the various positions of adjustment thereof;

FIGURE 7 is an exploded isometric pre-assembly view.

In accordance with the invention, FIGURE l shows a door closer device comprising a cylindrical casing 10, having a closed end 11. The opposed end 12 of the casing is provided with a bushing assembly 13, having a central aperture through which piston rod 14 is slidably passed.

The closed end 11 of the cylinder is provided with an adjustment knob 15 of generally cylindrical conformation, having an enlarged head portion 16. The adjustment knob 15 is seated in a bore 17 formed in the end 11 of the cylindrical casing, the knob 15 including an O-ring 1S seated in an annular groove 19.

The adjustment knob 15 is mounted in position within the bore by snap ring 20 seated in a peripheral groove 21. The snap ring is positioned against the outer surface 22 of the casing and the enlarged portion 16 is positioned against an inner portion of the end of the casing, thereby to lock the adjustment knob against longitudinal movement while permitting rotation with respect to the casing. The adjustment knob includes an inwardly extending, torque transmitting rib 23, for purposes which will become apparent.

The piston rod 14 is provided adjacent its outer end with a piston head assembly 30, next to be described.

The piston head assembly 30 includes a main body portion 31, having an annular groove 32 within which is seated an O-ring 33. The body portion is non-rotatably fixed to the piston rod 14 by means of a locking pin 34, which pin passes through cross bores 35 of the body portion and 36 of the piston rod.

The body portion includes three axial bores, namely, a central bore 37 which is tightly sleeved over the piston rod 14, a valve check bore 3S, and a metering bore 39.

As best seen in FIGURES 2 and 3, the valve check bore 38 includes a reduced shoulder portion 40 which forms a seat for the ball 41 lodged in the larger bore portion 42 of the checking bore.

The metering bore 39 similarly includes a rearwardly directed bore portion 43, and a smaller, forwardly directed bore portion 44. A metering pin 45 is housed within the metering bore 39 and includes an enlarged, genenerally cylindrical portion 45, having longitudinally extending peripheral grooves 47. In addition, the pin 45 includes a forwardly extending detent or follower pin 48. When seated in the metering groove 39, the detent or follower pin 48 projects forwardly through the reduced bore portion 44 formed in the front end of the body portion of the piston head.

The metering pin 45 is maintained in bore 39 by a retainer plate 50 which is centrally apertured at 51 to permit longitudinal sliding movement of the plate along the piston rod. The plate 50 includes longitudinally extending apertures 52, 53, registering respectively with the metering and valve check bores 39 and 38. The plate, in addition, includes a radially extending lug 54 which nests within locking notch 55 formed in the rearward end of the body portion 31 to prevent relative rotation of the plate and body portion.

A closing spring 56 is biased between the end 13 of the casing and the plate 50, thereby to urge the plate forwardly against the rear face of the body portion.

The piston rod includes a forwardly extending cylindrical section 57 of reduced diameter. Over the section 57 there is rotatably mounted an adjustment member 6i). The adjustment member 63' includes a rearwardly directed shoulder portion 61 which abuts forwardly directed shoulder portion 62 formed by the junction of the cylindrical section 57 and the main body of the piston rod. The adjustment member is locked to the piston rod by swaging or outwardly deforming the forwardmost end of the section 57, care being taken to permit the free rotation of the adjustment member with respect to the piston rod.

The adjustment member includes a plurality of longitudinal bores 63, to permit passage of iiuid through the member. Additionally, the rearwardly directed face 64 of the member includes a spirally or helically disposed cam or ramp portion 65. The ram includes a longitudinally extending shoulder 66 and, in addition, includes a series of angularly spaced-apart detent seats 67. As best Seen in FIGURE 2, the detent seats 67 register with the forwardmost follower end of detent portion 48 of the metering pin 45.

The adjustment member 60 includes, in addition, a forwardly extending collar 68 having a transverse slot 69 formed in the front face thereof.

The operation of the device will be evident from the foregoing description. When a device is position as shown in FIGURE l, i.e. in the fully closed position of the door, the torque transmitting rib 23 of the adjustment knob 15 will mate with (or may be rotated to mate with) the transverse slot 69 formed in the collar 68. With the rib and slot in mated position, the adjustment knob may be rotated by the application of a torque thereto, if desired by the insertion of -a screw driver into a transverse slot 15a in the outer face of the knob. Any such rotary movement will cause the adjustment member 60 to be likewise rotated. Relative rotation of the adjustment member and the piston rod will be resisted to a degree by the metering pin 45 which rides against the cam or ramp surface 65 and is progressively wiped across and pressed into the detent seats 67 formed on said ramp. By reason of the helical nature of the ramp, it will be evident that the metering pin 45 will be moved forwardly or rearwardly within the metering bore 39, depending upon which seat the pin engages.

In FIGURE 6, the metering pin is shown in solid lines in a forward position wherein the front face 45a of the pin is disposed very closely adjacent the rearward face or shoulder 39a in the metering bore 39. FIGURE 6 additionally shows in dot and dash the position occupied by the pin when the adjustment member 60 has been rotated to bring a shallower seat portion (i.e. a seat formed on a part of ramp 65 located closer to the front face of body portion 31) into registry with the metering pin.

The forward or rearward position of the metering pin 45 in the metering groove 39, respectively decreases or increases the available flow path through the metering bore 39, in accordance with the spacing of shoulders 39a and 45a and, hence, provides a variable by-pa-ss passage through the piston head during the closing stroke of the apparatus.

It will be further observed that pressure of the closer spring 56 against the plate 50 is transmitted to the rear of metering pin 45 and acts to bias the forward nose or follower of the metering pin into the seats 67 of the adjustment member.

When the door is opened, the piston head is withdrawn from the closed end 11 toward the end 13 of the casing. In the course of such movement, hydraulic fluid behind the piston is permitted to flow through the passage 3S, around the ball 41, and outwardly through the apertures 63 in the adjustment member, as well as through by-pass bore 39.

When the door is released, the energy stored in the compressed spring 56 tends to return the piston head toward the closed end 11 ofthe casing.

As shown in FIGURE 3, the hydraulic duid presses the ball 41 into the seat 40 and thus all uid flow during the closing movement of the door must be through the metering bore 39.

As previously noted, the flow capacity through said bore will regulate the closing speed of the door and this flow capacity can, in turn, be readily adjusted in the closed position of the door by a simple manipulation of the knob 15.

From the foregoing, it will be readily recognized that through the use of multiple detent seats there is provided a series of positive settings of the closing speed which may be quickly reestablished. As an aid to returning to a particular setting, i.e. as a means of establishing a reference point, it will be observed that the ledge 66 on the rear face of the adjustment member provides a positive stop which prevents 360 counter-clockwise rotation of the adjustment member when viewed in the orientation shown in FIGURE 7. More specifically, a counter-clockwise rotation of the adjustment member will eventually bring the shoulder 66 into contact with a side portion of the detent 48 of the metering pin and engagement of these two parts will prevent rotation beyond a predetermined point, thus providing a reference or setting position.

Since the piston rod is always non-rotatably mounted to a bracket fixed to the door frame, it will be seen that an adjustment of the closing speed may be made without disassembling or demounting the casing from the door.

While I have il'iustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that variations may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Particularly, my invention is susceptible to inversion or reversal of various parts and, accordingly, the invention is to be broadly construed within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention land illustrated its use, what is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A hydraulic door closer comprising a cylinder having an open and a closed end, a piston rod slidably extending through said open end movable toward and away from said closed end, spring means in said cylinder biasing said rod toward said closed end, a piston head mounted on said rod including a body portion and an adjustment portion, one said portion being xed to said rod and the other said porition being rotatable about said rod, a by-pass bore formed through said body portion, a shoulder formed in said by-pass bore, a metering member in said by-pass bore movable toward and away from said shoulder, means on said adjustment portion engaging said metering member for varying the spacing of said metering member from said shoulder in accordance with the relatively rotated postion of said Vadjustment portion and body portion, angularly spaced apart detent seat means interposed between said adjustment and body portions for establishing a predetermined, fixed series of relatively rotated positions between said portions, and means on said cylinder engageable with one of said portions for rotating said engaged portion with respect to the other portion.

2. A hydraulic door closer comprising a cylinder having an open and a closed end, a piston rod slidably extending through said open end movable toward and away from said yclosed end, a piston head mounted on said rod including a body portion and an adjustment portion, one said portion being xed to said rod and the other said portion being rotatable about said rod, a by-pass bore formed through said body portion, a shoulder formed in said by-pass bore, a metering pin mounted in said bypass bore including a shoulder portion and a detent, the shoulder portion of said pin being movable toward and away from the shoulder of said passage, thereby to vary the ow capacity of said passage, spring means biased against said metering pin to urge said detent into engagement with said adjustment portion, said spring means also biasing said piston rod toward said closed end, a plurality of detent seats formed on said adjustment portion, said seats being variably spaced from said body portion and being selectively shifted into engagement with said detent upon relative rotation of said portions, and means rotatably mounted on Said cylinder for engaging and relatively rotating said portions with respect to each other in the closed position of the door, thereby to vary the seat which is engaged with said detent.

3. A hydraulic door closer comprising a cylinder having an open and a closed end, a piston rod slidably mounted in said open end and movable toward and away from said closed end, said rod being biased toward said closed end, a cylinder head on the end of said rod adjacent said closed end, said head including an adjustment portion and a body portion, said portions being relatively rotatable one with respect to the other, a by-pass bore formed through said body portion, metering means movably mounted in said bore, the ow capacity through said bore being varied in accordance with the position of said means in said bore, a follower portion on said metering means, a cam portion on said adjustment means,

detent seats formed at angularly spaced apart positions along said cam portion, spring means biasing said follower and cam portions into engagement, and means on said cylinder for rotating said adjustment portion relative to said body portion, thereby to dispose said follower portion against different detent seats of said cam.

4. A hydraulic door closer comprising a cylinder having an open and a closed end, a piston rod slidably mounted in said open end and movable toward and away from said closed end, said rod being biased toward said closed end, a cylinder head on the end of said rod adjacent said closed end, -said head including an adjustment portion and a body portion, said portions being relatively rotatable one with respect to the other, an axially extending by-pass bore formed through said body portion, metering means axially movably mounted in said bore, the flow capacity through said bore being varied in accordance with the position of said means in said bore, a follower portion on said metering means, a -cam portion on said adjustment means, said cam including an axial slope component, spring means biasing said follower -and cam portions into engagement, and means on said cylinder for rotating said adjustment portion relative to said body portion, thereby to dispose said follower portion against a different part of said cam, thus to shift said metering means axially within said bore.

5. A hydraulic door closer device comprising a casing having a cylindrical bore including an open end and a closed end, a piston rod slidably mounted in said casing movable toward and away from said closed end, a piston head at the end of the rod adjacent said closed end, said head including a body portion xedly mounted to said rod and an adjustment portion interposed between said body portion and said closed end, said adjustment portion being rotatable relative to said body portion, an axial bypass bore formed through said body portion, said bore including a shoulder, a metering pin axially shiftably mounted in said by-pass bore, said pin including a shoulder portion movable toward and away from the shoulder portion of said bore and a follower portion extending into engagement with said adjustment portion, a spiral cam formed on said adjustment portion and including a graduated axial component, a closing spring between the open end of said cylinder and a rearward portion of said metering pin, biasing said follower portion forwardly into engagement with said cam, torque transmitting means rotatably mounted in said closed end of said casing for engaging and rotating said adjustment means when said piston head lies adjacent said closed end, thereby to scan said graduated cam surface across said follower portion.

6. A closer device in accordance with claim 5 wherein said :cam surface includes detent seats positioned to be selectively engaged by said follower portion as said adjustment portion is rotated relative to said body portion.

7. A closer device in accordance with claim 5 wherein said cam portion includes stop shoulder means for limiting relative rotation of said adjustment portion with respect to said body portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,487,472 11/ 1949 Patriquin 18S-88 2,710,007 6/1955 Fabel et al. 18S-88 3,129,453 4/ 1964 Turner 16-52 3,161,908 12/1964 Walach 16-52 BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A HYDRAULIC DOOR CLOSER COMPRISING A CYLINDER HAVING AN OPEN AND A CLOSED END, A PISTON ROD SLIDABLY EXTENDING THROUGH SAID OPEN END MOVABLE TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID CLOSED END, SPRING MEANS IN SAID CYLINDER BIASING SAID ROD TOWARD SAID CLOSED END, A PISTON HEAD MOUNTED ON SAID ROD INCLUDING A BODY PORTION AND AN ADJUSTMENT PORTION, ONE SAID PORTION BEING FIXED TO SAID ROD AND THE OTHER SAID PORTION BEING ROTATABLE ABOUT SAID ROD, A BY-PASS BORE FORMED THROUGH SAID BODY PORTION, A SHOULDER FORMED IN SAID BY-PASS BORE, A METERING MEMBER IN SAID BY-PASS BORE MOVABLE TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID SHOULDER, MEANS ON SAID ADJUSTMENT PORTION ENGAGING SAID METERING MEMBER FOR VARYING THE SPACING OF SAID METERING MEMBER FROM SAID SHOULDER IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RELATIVELY ROTATED POSITION OF SAID ADJUSTMENT PORTION AND BODY PORTION, ANGULARLY SPACED APART DETENT SEAT MEANS INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID ADJUSTMENT AND BODY PORTIONS FOR ESTABLISHING A PREDETERMINED, FIXED SERIES OF RELATIVELY ROROTATED POSITIONS BETWEEN SAID PORTIONS, AND MEANS ON SAID CYLINDER ENGAGEABLE WITH ONE OF SAID PORTIONS FOR ROTATING SAID ENGAGED PORTION WITH RESPECT TO THE OTHER PORTION. 